BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) Upgraded to Moderate Buy at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods

BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) was upgraded by stock analysts at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods from a “hold” rating to a “moderate buy” rating in a report issued on Wednesday, Zacks reports.

A number of other equities analysts have also commented on the stock. UBS Group dropped their price target on shares of BlackRock from $1,320.00 to $1,277.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. BNP Paribas Exane raised their target price on shares of BlackRock from $1,300.00 to $1,350.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of BlackRock from $1,364.00 to $1,435.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of BlackRock from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 11th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “buy” rating and set a $1,258.00 price target on shares of BlackRock in a report on Thursday, July 16th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,303.35.

BlackRock Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE BLK opened at $1,067.09 on Wednesday. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $1,110.01 and its 200-day simple moving average is $1,058.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 3.59 and a current ratio of 3.59. BlackRock has a 52 week low of $917.39 and a 52 week high of $1,219.94. The firm has a market cap of $165.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.50, a P/E/G ratio of 1.21 and a beta of 1.41.

BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, July 15th. The asset manager reported $13.91 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $12.69 by $1.22. The firm had revenue of $7.08 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.73 billion. BlackRock had a return on equity of 14.90% and a net margin of 24.09%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 30.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $12.05 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that BlackRock will post 55.73 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On BlackRock

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of BLK. RMG Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in BlackRock in the 1st quarter worth $25,000. Addison Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of BlackRock during the second quarter valued at about $25,000. Kelly Lawrence W & Associates Inc. CA acquired a new position in shares of BlackRock during the second quarter valued at about $25,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of BlackRock in the second quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC grew its position in BlackRock by 100.0% during the first quarter. Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC now owns 34 shares of the asset manager’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 17 shares in the last quarter. 80.69% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More BlackRock News

Here are the key news stories impacting BlackRock this week:

• Positive Sentiment: BlackRock’s shares have gained 6.8% over the past six months, supported by record assets under management, strategic acquisitions, strong investment demand, and its diversified product lineup. However, analysts caution that the stock’s elevated valuation could limit additional upside. BLK Shares Rally 6.8% in Six Months: Is There Further Upside Left?
• Positive Sentiment: BlackRock is reportedly in exclusive discussions to acquire Stack Infrastructure’s Asia-Pacific data-center assets in a potential $20 billion-to-$25 billion transaction. The deal would increase exposure to AI and cloud infrastructure, though its size also raises execution and financing considerations. BlackRock in Exclusive Talks on $20 Billion Data Center Deal
• Positive Sentiment: BlackRock continues to promote growth in digital assets and tokenization, including tokenized money-market funds, stablecoins, Bitcoin, and AI-driven crypto payments. Its crypto portfolio reportedly increased by more than $291 million over four days, highlighting potential long-term fee and product opportunities. BlackRock’s Nikhil Sharma Pitches Tokenized Money Market Funds
• Neutral Sentiment: Fixed-income chief Rick Rieder said short-term bonds remain attractive and indicated a hawkish Federal Reserve positioning. Higher rates can support fixed-income demand but may pressure equity valuations and risk assets. BlackRock’s Rieder on Yield Curve and Federal Reserve Rate Hikes
• Negative Sentiment: U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded approximately $484.9 million in net outflows, with BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust accounting for $207.7 million. The withdrawals reduce near-term sentiment around crypto-related asset growth and fee revenue. US Bitcoin ETFs See $485 Million Outflow
• Negative Sentiment: BlackRock is scheduled to report quarterly results next week. While Wall Street expects earnings growth, a Zacks analysis says the company may lack the typical indicators for a significant earnings beat, increasing event risk for the stock. BlackRock Reports Next Week
• Negative Sentiment: The Rosen Law Firm is investigating potential securities claims involving BlackRock mutual funds, citing allegations of materially misleading business information. The announcement creates reputational and potential legal overhang, although it does not establish wrongdoing. BlackRock Investor News

BlackRock Company Profile

BlackRock, Inc is a global investment management and financial technology company serving individual investors, institutions, governments and financial professionals. The company provides investment management, risk management and advisory services across a broad range of asset classes, including equities, fixed income, multi-asset strategies, alternatives and cash management.

BlackRock offers investment products through mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and other vehicles. Its iShares brand is one of the company’s principal platforms for exchange-traded funds, providing access to domestic and international markets, industry sectors, bonds, commodities and specialized investment strategies.

The company also provides technology and analytical solutions through its Aladdin platform, which is used by asset managers, institutional investors and other financial organizations for portfolio management, risk analysis, trading and operational support.